Fifty years after Canal Boat 51M carried the last commercial cargo from Dublin outbound to Limerick along the Grand Canal and River Shannon, the Heritage Boat Association (HBA) will re-create her historic voyage.

Waterways Ireland, who own the boat, have agreed to allow the HBA to re-create the final farewell to commercial canal traffic in Ireland.

On her last journey 51M’s cargo consisted of a consignment of Guinness for the Limerick depot and at the time their departure caused quite a stir with both the public and the press. Press photos of the occasion still exist including an Irish Times photo and HBA intend to re-create the exact photograph which they expect will again capture the imagination of the public and the press. See the link to the Irish Times archive here.

While the skipper on that historic voyage has since passed away, they will have his sons on board as part of the current crew. A flotilla of other surviving Heritage Canal Boats will escort 51M westward towards the Shannon.

51M will depart from the Waterways Ireland Visitor Centre beside the new theatre in Grand Canal Basin on Wednesday 19th May at 2pm, and after a short stop at Mespil Road continue her ‘leaving of Dublin’ on Thursday May 20th departing at 1.30pm.

The Internet is affecting almost every aspect of our daily lives – how we learn, travel, and even watch TV. The Internet is also changing the way we do business. The aim of the Irish Internet Association, which is located in The Digital Hub, is to Connect, Inform and Promote and further to this we are currently hosting a national campaign called ‘Digitise the Nation’ for the Internet Industry in Ireland from 17th – 21st of May 2010. There are many events taking place during the week, under a number of themes including ‘Connectivity’ and ‘Entrepreneurship’.

HereStephen Brennan, Director of Marketing and Strategy at the Digital Hub Development Agency talks about how consumers are using the Internet in increasingly large numbers to purchase products and services and how Irish business and entrepreneurs should take advantage of the Internet to invent and/or expand a business.

Congratulations to Aileen Roe who won yesterday’s Digitise the Nation Gadget-a-Day Competition. We will have prizes available all week, so make sure you enter each day.

Tuesday’s prize is a Microsoft Gaming Keyboard and Mouse and if you want to be the lucky winner, go to the Digitise the Nation Competition Page and answer the simple question. Today’s winner will be announced tomorrow, just in time for Competition Day Three.

In order to help you Digitise the Nation, Microsoft are handing you the tools you need to do it. Each day of the Digitise the Nation week, the IIA and Silicon Republic will have a new prize to giveaway. All you have to do is answer the question to be in with a chance to win.

Monday’s prize is a Microsoft Gaming Keyboard and Mouse and if you want to be the lucky winner, go to the Digitise the Nation Competition Page and answer the simple question. Today’s winner will be announced tomorrow, just in time for Competition Day Two.

Officially launching the IIA Digitise the Nation Week on Monday Morning at 8am, Lucey and Microsoft want to show you how to get rid of your servers and run your business online This breakfast briefing is designed to give businesses of all sizes a practical overview on how to move away from having servers in the office and managing their business in a hosted environment. What’s possible and what’s not, what’s expensive and what’s simple to deploy. Click here for more details.

Top Tips to showcasing your business to over 200m customers in Continental Europe. With more than 200 million customers located in France, Germany, Spain and Italy, more and more Irish organisations are looking to target these markets directly. A key factor to successfully communicate with these audiences is a translated website that effectively communicates your product and service audience. As part of the Digitise the Nation Week, learn about the steps you should take to translate and localise your website for these markets at a free seminar and clinic. Click here for more details.

“This is an innovative technology that hasn’t been used before. The younger generations are well used to using computers to find information so why not use the internet to provide a history lesson?”

BlackrockVillage.ie, DundalkStreaming.com and The County Museum, Dundalk have announced details of a fresh approach to Museums in Ireland. Starting last month and over the course of seven weeks one hour show will feature and discuss aspects of life and work in Dundalk during the 20th century. Harry Lee and the project’s technical adviser, Jason McGee, are looking forward to Digitising the Nation on Monday 17th May with a live internet radio stream from The County Musem, at 1.30pm, looking at Tobacco and Cigarette Manufacture as part of the Museum’s exhibits. Click here for more details.

Peter Fry will be running a webinar on Using Mobile Marketing to Grow your Business at 8pm. He will be speaking about how companies can grow their business by using mobile messaging solutions and about mobile phones, past, present and future. This will include what is happening presently around the world from airline boarding cards on mobile to payment systems currently being used from mobile. Click here for more details.

Drimnagh will be holding three open and informal Social Media Surgeries from 10am-12pm, 2-4pm and 7-9pm. The venue for this event is at St John Bosco youth centre on Davitt Road, Drimnagh, Dublin 12. The event is free of charge and open to anyone who wants to learn more about any of the social media tools. Further details are available from DrimnaghIsGood.com. Click here for more details.

There will be an Internet Day in Walkinstown Library, where A&A Computing will offer free demonstrations and hands-on experience in Skype, emailing and other online activities. Sessions will run every hour from 2.00pm to 7.00pm and all are welcome. Click here for more details.

From 6pm – 9pm, Irish users of OpenStreetMap will be holding an information evening and mapping party in The Bleeding Horse on Camden St., where members of the public learn about the OSM project and can dip their toes into the world of creating and editing the open-source data that underlies this large-scale project. Quite literally the public can learn how to ‘Digitise the Nation’ by adding in roads, paths, buildings, addresses and anything else that is of interest to them. Click here for more details.

Town.ie is set up to provide an affordable web platform to all Irish indigenous businesses placing them competitively in the market place currently dominated by businesses with large budgets. On Wednesday the 19th of May 2010, the Town.ie team would like to invite you to an open day at their premises in 7 Tara Court, Letterkenny, Co Donegal from 10am – 5pm to take a look at what we do and for our staff members to answer any questions you may have. We look forward to seeing you there. Click here for more details.

The theme of the 2010 Conference is Vision 2020. This year’s IIA Conference will have a dual focus: what’s good in 2010 and what’s possible for 2020. It will critically assess the next wave of opportunities for the industry, as well as more immediate benefits for businesses in terms of improving their processes, productivity and profitability. Click here for more details.

The Awards, now in their 12th year, are unique as they are run and voted on by the internet industry in Ireland. 15 categories in total reflect the prolific business use of the Internet in Ireland, enabling businesses to grow despite these tough times. The Awards evening remains one of the best in Ireland – the perfect occasion to meet your Internet profession peers. Click here for more details.

Kavaleer (award winning digital animation business based in Digital Hub) will be showing primary school students how digital art is created; sharing with the children how cartoons are made and inspiring the next generation of Brown Bag Productions and Oscar winning “Avatar” creators. Click here for more details.

Conor Lynch will be giving free consultations on Friday 21st of May between 2 and 6pm. Friday is the designated Social Media Day and conor is the current Chair of the iia Social Media Working Group. He will be helping our guests to diagnose digital marketing problems and prescribe solutions based on the Connector 10C’s strategy. Regardless of the size of your business they will decide a tailor made action plan to suit your need based on your business and budget. Please email training [at] connector.ie to make your appointment. Click here for more details.

So you have heard about Facebook and are perhaps thinking of starting to use Facebook to connect to more customers, attract more leads and make more profit in your business? Or, perhaps you’ve already set up a Facebook Page but are not sure it’s working effectively for you? Then you’ll not want to miss this FREE webinar which is being delivered as part of the Irish Internet Association’s ‘Digitise the Nation’ week. Krishna De will be covering the 7 most common mistakes businesses make when using Facebook to connect to more potential customers and to market their business online. Click here for more details.

Classes are being offered to over 55s in centres throughout the city. You are welcome to drop in and see what a computer class is like. See each day’s events for details of locations and time. For further information, please contact Robert Carroll on 087 923 1126 or rcarroll@ageaction.ie. Click here for more details.

Puddleducks.ie is running an interactive competition for children. Children and families are invited to take part in an online treasure hunt which is a wonderful opportunity for parents to introduce their children to the internet in a safe, supervised and fun way. It is brought to you in association with five of Irelands’s fantastic family parks: Brigit’s Garden, Fota Wildlife Park, Castlecomer Discovery Park, Greenan Farm and Carlingford Adventure Centre. We have 15 super prizes of Family Tickets for the lucky winners. Click here for more details.

Additional Events:

ICANDO Digital Skills Programme. For the full week of Digitise the Nation, I-CANDO.ie will make their Digitial Skills Programme available free of charge in libraries throughout the country.

So you have heard about Facebook and are perhaps thinking of starting to use Facebook to connect to more customers, attract more leads and make more profit in your business?

Or, perhaps you’ve already set up a Facebook Page but are not sure it’s working effectively for you?

Then you’ll not want to miss this FREE webinar which is being delivered as part of the Irish Internet Association’s ‘Digitise the Nation’ week.

Krishna De (www.BizGrowthMedia.com) will be covering the 7 most common mistakes businesses make when using Facebook to connect to more potential customers and to market their business online.

I have a little treat for you this morning. As you know, our Annual Conference takes place next Thursday, 20th May, and with Anthony Whelan and Bill Liao as keynotes, it’s going to be a fascinating day. Added to that, we have our breakout sessions from the IIA Working Groups and our extremely popular Web Clinics (which always book out, so register early), it’ll be a full, enjoyable and educational day.

So, what’s the treat? Well, for everyone that follows our blog, Twitter, Facebook page, etc. we are offering a Social Media Discount on the Conference tickets price. For 20% Off the ticket price, you can use the voucher code “socmed20“. It would be great to see as many of you on the day as possible and if I’m not too busy running around looking after people, I hope to catch some of the breakout sessions myself.

The office is absolutely buzzing today. We’re excitedly preparing for this year’s IIA Annual Conference and Net Visionary Awards on May 20th. We have a great set of speakers confirmed for the Conference and voting is well underway in the Awards.

A brilliant and brand new addition to this year’s conference week isDigitise the Nation. We’re calling on everyone to be creative and use your expertise to bring everyone in Ireland online. Whether you’re a web developer who wants to share their knowledge in a video podcast or a son who wants to introduce his mother to Skype; whether you’re an online entrepreneur who wants to tell other eager minds how to get started or an artist who wants to show people how you sell your work online. Get involved! Read more here or drop us an email with your ideas: info@iia.ie.

IIA Annual Conference Keynote Speakers

This year’s IIA Conference will have a dual focus: what’s good in 2010 and what’s possible for 2020. It will critically assess the next wave of opportunities for the industry, as well as more immediate benefits for businesses in terms of improving their processes, productivity and profitability.

The IIA is delighted to welcome Bill Liao and Anthony Whelan as keynote speakers, as well as our other great speakers, at the Annual IIA Conference on the theme of 2020 Vision.

Bill Liao is an Australian entrepreneur, business mentor, philanthropist, diplomat, author and speaker with a distinguished record in the areas of business, development and community activism, and the firm belief that enterprise and activism, conducted in a spirit of openness and fairness, hold the key to a better future for us all.

Bill acted as Director of Operations of telecommunications company Davnet, during which time the organisation achieved the fastest capital value growth in the history of the Australian Stock Exchange. He is a co-founder of XING, a pioneering social networking platform, and CEO of Finaxis AG, a privately held company in the financial services industry.

In December 2006, XING was one of the first Web 2.0 companies to go public. Subsequently, it has become one of the world’s most important business-to-business social networking portals. Bill remains a consultant to XING. He is also a mentor to entrepreneurs in the making, helping women and men from very diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds to achieve all they can in business, while espousing qualities of enterprise, fairness and ambition.

Anthony Whelan is the Chef de Cabinet to Vice President of the European Commission with responsibility for the Digital Agenda, NeelieKroes. From Scariff, Co Clare, Anthony studied law at Trinity College and later graduated with a masters degree from the University of Cambridge.

Anthony lectured in constitutional law at Trinity College, Dublin from 1991 to 1995. He was legal secretary in the cabinet of Advocate General Niall Fennelly at the European Court of Justice from 1995 to 2000. His major cases included the successful challenge by Germany to the Tobacco Advertising Directive.

He was a member of the Legal Service of the European Commission from 2000 to 2006 and became a member of the cabinet of the Dutch Commissioner for competition policy, Neelie Kroes in 2006. He had responsibility for merger policy, including the first Ryanair bid for Aer Lingus.

He was promoted to chef de cabinet to Kroes in 2008 and his current role includes taking the lead in preparing the European Digital Agenda, to promote an integrated ICT policy framework, addressing both supply and demand for digital services, products and contents, ensuring that Europe remains at the technological forefront in this area.

Maeve Kneafsey, Managing Director of Elucidate and IIA Chair, is widely regarded as Ireland’s leading expert in online business, web usage and strategy. She has worked with large corporations and government agencies on maximising the web to promote their services or products.

A Trinity college graduate, Maeve has, for the last 20 years worked with some of the world’s largest international communications companies in the US, UK and Ireland. Maeve has also worked with the majority of leading Irish media companies as CEO, Marketing Director and Commercial Director. She established Elucidate in 2003.

Clients that Maeve has worked with include Meteor, eircom Phonewatch, Tesco, the NITB, An Post, Fáilte Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, the NSAI, Department of the Taoiseach (eCabinet), Department of Finance (etenders), the RPII (Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland) and the Arts Council. She is co-founder and director of the Ireland’s eGovernment Awards and Centre of Excellence.

Panelists and Speakers

New at this year’s conference, we will feature a ‘Questions & Answers’ style panel discussion to start the day – guaranteed to be lively, topical and sometimes controversal! Panellists include Bill Thompson, regular commentator on the UK Digital Agenda; Jim Power, economist; and John Kennedy, SiliconRepublic.com.

Bill Thompson is a well-known technology critic and commentator on digital culture. A pioneer of new media in the UK, Bill was Internet ambassador for PIPEX in the early 1990s and founded The Guardian’s New Media Lab in 1995, setting up and editing the first Guardian website.

He has worked as a freelance journalist, author, public speaker, web developer, consultant and policy advisor. He has a widely read weekly column, Billboard, on the BBC News website, and appears regularly as a studio expert on the BBC World Service’s ‘Digital Planet’.

Jim Power joined Friends First Group in 2000 as Chief Economist, having previously worked as Chief Economist at Bank of Ireland and Treasury Economist at AIB Group.

He lectures part-time on the Executive MBA programme at Dublin City University and is a member of the Waterford Institute of Technology Foundation Board. He is a board member of Agriaware, the food awareness body. In 2006 he was a member of the Failte Ireland taskforce on a strategy for tourism.

He is a frequent contributor to media on economic, financial and housing market issues, and writes extensively on these issues for various publications. Jim is chairman of Love Irish Food and has just published a book ‘Picking up the Pieces’, which plots the demise of the Irish economy and the measures that now need to be taken to get the economy growing again.

SiliconRepublic.com’s John Kennedy has been writing about IT since the mid-Nineties. He began his career with Computer Publications Group before spending four years at Business & Finance where he was Technology Editor. Kennedy joined Silicon Republic in 2002 to become the fulcrum of the company’s news service and is Editor of the weekly E-Thursday section in the Irish Independent as well as the Digital Ireland technology supplement in the Irish Independent.

He was recipient of the Irish Internet Association’s NetVisionary Technology Journalist Award 2005. He also commentates on digital issues for RTE Television, Radio 1, Today FM, 4FM and TV3.

Colm Grealy has 16 years’ experience at the forefront of the Internet and digital media industry. Colm joined Ireland On-Line (IOL) in 1994 and was managing director until it was acquired by An Post three years later. He remained at the helm until its acquisition by ESAT Telecom.

He went on to co-found DigiServe (a new media group that included Online.ie, IrishAbroad.com and EDO Software Services) and the Dublin Daily newspaper.

In recent years, among other projects, Colm has advised O2 Telefonica on mobile Internet, advertising and new business models for the mobile sector.

The Panel will be moderated by Journalist and Broadcaster, Karen Coleman.

Irish journalist Karen Coleman is one of Ireland’s finest broadcasters and commentators and one of our most experienced reporters of Irish and international affairs. An award-winning journalist, Karen broadcasts for both radio and television. She also writes regular articles for newspapers and magazines.

A former BBC war correspondent, Karen presents the Wide Angle radio show on Ireland’s talk radio station – Newstalk106-108 every Sunday morning. Described by the Irish Independent as “one of the finest shows on Irish radio” the Wide Angle’s lively mix of panel discussions, reports and interviews on Irish and International affairs makes it one of the most dynamic shows on Irish radio.

EARLY BIRD TICKETS AVAILABLE – BOOK NOW!!!

Together with the popular Breakout Sessions and Web Strategy Clinics, you won’t want to miss the IIA Conference 2010. Book your tickets before Friday 23 April and get over 20% discount.

A number of ticketing options are available allowing delegates to attend the Conference only, the Net Visionary Awards only, or avail of a 20%discount by attending both the Conference and the Awards. Full tables of 10 can also be booked for the Awards dinner also.

2010 PRICES

MEMBERS

NON-MEMBERS

Conference Only – Early Bird*

€195

€245

Conference Only – Full Rate

€245

€345

Combined Ticket** – Early Bird*

€325

€395

Combined Ticket** – Full Rate

€395

€495

Net Visionary Awards Only

€250

€250

Table (10) Net Visionary Awards

€2,250

€2,250

* Early Bird tickets are available until 23 April.

** A Combined Ticket includes entry to the Conference on 20 May as well as a place at the Net Visionary Awards ceremony on the evening of 20 May.